Anonymous witness has told DCB he was with Sajid Mansuri on July 26

Hours before the serial blasts triggered off in Ahmedabad on July 26, Sajid Mansuri, a main accused in the case, had a lunch at a well-known non-vegetarian restaurant in the Lal Darwaja area of the city, the DCB has said in its chargesheet in the designated metropolitan court. Over 55 people were killed and more than 200 injured, in the serial blasts.

According to the statement of an anonymous witness in the case, Mansuri had come to Ahmedabad on July 26 along with the witness under the pretext of a business trip. The DCB has now presented the witness’ statement as evidence in the court.

Mansuri had revived his relationship with the witness in 2008 after a gap of almost 10 years. He had developed a rapport with the witness when he was the manager of a private bank, which had closed down. Mansuri had helped the witness get back his depositfrom the closed bank in 1998.

Mansuri re-established his connection with the witness in 2008 in Bharuch and asked him to get him a job. At that time, the witness, a businessman by profession, told him that he needed people who could supply him registers. Mansuri promised to get in touch with some wholesale traders in Ahmedabad and organised a trip to the city on July 26.

After coming to Ahmedabad around 1.30 pm, Mansuri left the witness in the Danilimda area and asked him to meet at the restaurant at 3.30 pm. There, Mansuri also made a couple of calls from the witness' mobile. The two departed after lunch and the witness left on a Surat-bound bus after completing his business work. Mansuri stayed back saying he had to meet some paper wholesalers in the city.

... contd.